Visiting LA For the First Time? Tourism Tips, Part 1

Is our wedding bringing you out to Los Angeles for the first time? If so, then we're guessing that you may be doing some touring around the town.

We wanted to let you know that the hotels are approximately 30-45 minutes away from Hollywood and much of the sights of Los Angeles. Plan accordingly to avoid traffic during rush hour drive times. But then again, traffic in Los Angeles is unpredictable, so just be ready to be patient.

There are a few places that we recommend visiting when visiting Los Angeles:

1. In-N-Out Burger: You MUST try In-N-Out Burgers. For guests who have been to Los Angeles before, this will most likely be their first stop, probably on the way from the airport to the hotel. If you haven’t visited LA before, then it’s time to have a burger at In-N-Out. Their menu is simple: burgers, fries, and drinks. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity – there’s a secret menu. Just look it up online and you’ll learn about “animal style.” This is a must for burger lovers…or just people who eat meat. We recommend…well, everything. (www.in-n-out.com; Various Locations Around LA):

2. The Beach: If you're looking for a place to sit in the sand and relax, there's plenty of beach nearby to hit. The hotel is only 20 minutes away from one of our favorite beaches, Zuma Beach. Zuma is quiet, has plenty of space, and reminds me most of the beaches I enjoyed back East. The waves here can be pretty good, so make sure you bring a boogie board and stay close to the lifeguard tower. You can also check out Santa Monica, which is a bit more touristy, and has a great pier with rides for the kiddies.

3. The Freaks: If you want to go to a beach to check out the circus atmosphere, you should go to Venice Beach. This is not a beach for relaxing and swimming. Park in Venice and walk the boardwalk up and down. This is the best place in town to people watch. Muscle Beach, and famous blacktop basketball courts are also highlights. If you have the time, it should be on your “to-do” list.

4. The Getty Center: It’s been dubbed (by me) as the Marble Marvel on the Hill. This museum sits atop a hill just off the 405 freeway. It’s got some great artwork, but the museum itself is the real treat. The views of Los Angeles are stunning on a clear day, and the amazing garden should be in full bloom in May. It’s free to visit, but parking will cost a few dollars. (http://www.getty.edu/, 1200 Getty Center Drive LA, CA 90049)

5. Griffith Park/The Griffith Observatory: The Griffith Observatory is a Los Angeles icon seen in tons of films, but the park that surrounds it is the hidden treasure. There's tons of great spots to relax and picnic, lots of trails that are great for hiking, a zoo, and a museum. It's a pretty amazing place.
(The Griffith Observatory: http://www.griffithobs.org/, Griffith Park: http://www.lacity.org/rap/dos/parks/griffithpk/griffith.htm)

6. Amoeba Music: For the serious music fan, this store is a must. This massive warehouse has new, used, rare, unreleased, and bootlegged music, plus a whole lot of movies on DVD.
(http://www.amoeba.com/, 6400 Sunset Blvd. LA, CA 90028)

7. Arclight Cinemas/Cinerama Dome: Right next to Amoeba Music sits the historic Cinerama Dome and the Arclight Cinemas. These are the best theaters to see a movie in LA. The Chinese Theater may be the most famous, but Arclight takes the popcorn for quality. Tickets are little pricey, but you’ll get a reserved seat, commercial-free trailers, and a polite crowd. If a good movie is playing at the Cinerama Dome, it may be worth it just to check out the giant screen. (Oh, and don’t forget to try the carmel popcorn.)
(https://www.arclightcinemas.com, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd LA, CA 90028)

8. Catch a Dodgers Game: The Dodgers will be in town during the wedding weekend playing the Padres (Thursday, April 30th-Sunday, May 3rd). Dodgers’ Stadium is in our neighborhood and tickets to the game are fairly easy to get and inexpensive. There’s no bad seat in the house. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare, so leave early. (Don't forget to try a "World Famous" Dodger Dog.)
(www.dodgers.com)

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There's more to come!